


set relationship status

by brandywine421



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-13 03:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18024002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandywine421/pseuds/brandywine421
Summary: Non-linear ficlets of varying size.  Experiments in fluff, being nice to Foggy and giving Matt a soft life.  50 prompts - posted in sets of 5.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (I don't write a lot of Matt/Foggy, so I'm giving it a go.)

  
_**Life** _

  
"It's too cold in the winter and it has no AC - no AC, Matt!"

He hums and runs the electric razor over his throat again for any missed patches.

"Are you listening to me?"

"Always, Fog. Just wondering what you want me to say."

That doesn't seem to be the correct answer and there's a long pause.

"Have you found any places for us to look at, or are you waiting for your Mom to answer you on Facebook? Because Theo already texted me and Karen asking why she wants him to go look at rental properties. He thinks he's getting kicked out."

"Does he not understand how titles work - he owns his house! Wait - Mom sent Theo to scout apartments?"

Matt wipes his chin and brushes off the tiny hairs as best he can before putting down the razor. Foggy's still processing. "But why?"

"Probably because you asked for help and she lives in Florida," he replies. "So don't bitch about my apartment when I already told you I'd move if you found a place."

Foggy joins him in the bathroom, warm hands finding their home on his hips. "You missed so many spots, babe."

"Don't call me 'babe' unless you're prepared to back it up."

 

_**Anonymous** _

Four days in a row.

Four days.

"Matt?"

 _"No._ "

"I haven't - "

" _Not it._ "

He stares at the neatly packaged lunch, for the forth day in a row, on the Foggy shelf of the fridge. "Seriously."

" _More serious than nap_?"

Foggy nods. "Yeah. Are you making lunch?"

" _Made lunch last night. Did someone eat your lunch?_ "

"When did you - "

" _Is the bread wrong? It's the Asiago -_ "

He closes the refrigerator. "Thanks, is all."

" _So - nap?_ "

"You are cleared for napping," he whispers.

 

  
_**Meeting the family.** _

  
"Shit," Foggy hisses, slamming the door to the bedroom closed a second too late.

"Franklin. Open that door right now," his mom demanded.

"Mom - it's not - " Foggy starts but his dad pushes past him and shoves it open. Daredevil's out of sight - but there's no way they didn't see Matt's tumble through the window.

"You are engaged, Foggy!" his mother smacks him hard. "Come out of there, homewrecker!"

Or maybe they didn't notice the black mask and roped hands - wow, his mom thinks he would cheat on Matt?

His father bangs on the bathroom door and there's a muted curse before Matt steps out, mask in gloved - but not roped - hand.

"Are you shitting me, Matty? All these years - "

"Wait, what?" his mom moves past him to join his father in judgement at the bathroom door.

"This probably looks bad," Matt says after a beat.

"A blind joke isn't the best defense right now - "

His mother smacks Matt hard across the ribs and Foggy regrets all his life choices when his dad turns to him with the pointer finger of doom.

 

 

 _ **Dog**_.

"Please, Matt. There's no one else I trust with him - "

He has to be nice to Marci. He's pretty sure it was in the prenup she's writing up for them. "What did Foggy say?"

"We both know he'll do whatever I ask, so I'm bringing it to you first. _Please_."

He doesn't want a dog. Not a seeing eye dog or a therapy dog - or a pet dog. He doesn't want a dog.

"Please."

He holds out both hands and waits. She carefully places the small, loaf of bread sized animal in his hands and he tries not to squeeze when it starts to wriggle. "Name?"

"Stuart."

Matt manages not to shudder when the fluffy creature licks at his bare skin. "Gross." He draws in his arm to settle the dog against his chest but dogs are not babies and the little legs scratch at his suit.

"He's a Norwich terrier and he's only a year old so you still have plenty of time to train him to be a good dog - "

"Is he not a good dog?" Matt interrupts.

"Sure, of _course_ , the best dog."

"I know when you're lying."

"Please?" 

  
_**Thanksgiving**_.

  
"We have some news, Mom. We adopted," Foggy says brightly.

Anna Nelson turns toward them, slow with danger.

"His name's Stuart and he's eating Theo's roses in the backyard right now," Matt says, stretching his hand toward the back door.

"He didn't inherit the roses," Anna says suddenly, rushing out of the kitchen.

Foggy sighs. "You made that so much worse - never talk about the roses."

"I want a divorce, you get full custody of the dog."

"We have to get married first."

"Objection."

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

_**Costumes** _

"Stop it - no, no play - "

Foggy follows the sound of a struggle into the bedroom where Stuart is tugging with tiny fury on the end of Daredevil's Muay Thai ropes. "Need some help?"

"Please? I feel like a single parent right now, can you - "

"Did you walk him - "

"Three times and the treadmill, come on, Fogs, I've been a good boy and there's a chop shop on Harris Street I've been putting off for days," Matt says in a pathetic whine.

Stuart drops the rope and lets out a yowl of solidarity. Matt yanks the rope and continues 'suiting up'. "Thank you." The dog barks.

"Please don't be out all night."

Matt leans in for a kiss without missing a loop. "I'll do my best."

"Better, you're keeping two people awake now," Foggy replies.

"Stuart is not a person, he's a dog, a very bad dog." Stuart barks. "Thank you."

 

 

_**Bouncy** _

 

"Oh my God, I can't - "

"I will punch you in the dick, Nelson - "

"Jessica?" Foggy snaps out of his justice of the peace induced-panic to focus on the woman. "What are you - "

"Do you think I'd let the Devil take a cab unattended - that never ends well for anyone - if you're signing the papers, you should make a note of it," she says.

"This is the men's bathroom," Foggy says.

She rolls her eyes. "And you're totally making good use of it - come here, Matt smells fear, you know."

"I'm not scared of marrying him - I'm scared of - "

"You already share an apartment and a dog - the plans for a roof garden tip you over to domesticity so the paper's just a formality."

"So many big words from you."

"Be very flattered - I brought a car so you can get to your family's banquet before Matt's whiskey wears off."

 

  
_**Massage Oil** _

 

"Lower, lower - yes, right there, perfect - ow ow ow - why are you stopping?"

"You know this shit's hell on my nose, right?"

"You know I love you, right? Oh, yeah - right there - "

Matt tosses the Ben-Gay aside and finishes massaging Foggy's lower back until his husband's mumbles turn to nonsense. "Don't let the blind guy move furniture, he says. Let the Nelson men show how rugged they are, he says. Look how big and strong your new fiance is, he says."

"Mmm."

 

  
**_Jealous_**  


"Do you have dinner with your mother often?" Anna asks, scooping what sounds like too much ham on his plate.

"I go to Mass every Sunday and I see her a few times a week," he answers. Foggy kicks him under the table. Trap. Oh no.

"A few times a week? Really. Isn't that interesting, honey?"

"Yeah. I mean, yeah?" Ed says with a grunt. Ah, Anna taught Foggy how to kick.

"Foggy doesn't see her that often - " Matt moves his foot out of the line of fire and Theo cries out.

"Hey, what did I do? Sister Maggie orders the same thing on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I'm always nice!"

Matt realizes they've all lost the game.

"So interesting."

"So, we're thinking Florida for Easter then?" Foggy sighs.

 

  
_**Sixth Sense** _

 

Foggy holds his fingers a few seconds longer tonight before letting go, leans into the kiss for a few more breaths so his mouth is slick and swollen, stands at the base of the stairs until Stuart tugs on his sweatpants and reminds him to move.

Matt waits, listening. Hell's Kitchen buzzes and spins, sprawling in the cool night but - he waits.

No screams, no smoke, no beacons of pain or fear.

He doesn't hear anyone that needs the Devil's help - but Foggy's still at the base of the stairs, petting the dog and looking at the door.

He turns around.


	3. Chapter 3

 

**_Birthday_ **

  
He drops the bottle of wine - 300 dollar wine - and all the bags when the guy sticks the gun in his ribs.

_"Wallet, watch, phone, you know the drill, buddy - "_

Foggy doesn't know the drill because he's married to a vigilante. It's his fault his husband the vigilante is off tonight - waiting blissfully at home with their dog.

 _"Move it - what are you_ \- " the guy chokes and the gun skitters to the sidewalk, plastic shards bouncing off his shoe.

Should he be mad Matt's running around or relieved?

"You okay? I didn't take too long, did I?"

Foggy throws his arms around Colleen, utterly relieved and never mad, carefully avoiding her sword. "Your timing is awesome - "

"Not so much, your partner's blowing up my phone asking when I'm going to pick up the dog for the night."

"If you saved the wine, we'll tip you extra for dog-sitting and save you a slice of cake," Foggy says, shaking her gratefully before going for his packages.

 

  
_**Creative** _

"We're taking the apartments upstairs - both of them, so don't get excited - but Foggy said you might be looking for a real office space," Matt says, leaning his head on Luke's steadying bicep as Jessica pinches the metal in his thigh and pulls.

"Karen told you I paid her for helping me out, didn't she?" Jessica asks and he inhales through his nose and out through his mouth in a full body shiver.

"No, but she's free to take outside work. Would that sweeten the deal? Because we really don't want to lease the leftover storefront to a stranger who won't respect our roof space," Matt says. Luke wakes up with a snort and Matt has to hold up his own head.

Luke shifts. "You okay, Murdock?"

"Bullet bounced off you and nicked the Devil. He's talking crazy, real estate bullshit," Jessica says.

"Better sign on before Foggy picks me up and decides to retract the offer," Matt says.

"What kind of space we talking?" Jessica asks, pressing hard on his leg before wrapping the wound.

"Blind guy, so no idea. Great acoustics though, it's on a hill. Pictures on my phone, if you promise not to call Fog until I get a shot of something."

"Vodka or V-8."

"Vodka, please, thank you."

 

  
**_Forever_ **

  
"Shh. You're fine, just breathe - there you go, hey hey..."

His hearing buzzes with a final ripple of agony and Foggy's steady beat-beat-beat of air and blood and soft fingertips on his face - "Foggy?"

His lips are warm, breath hot, against his cheek. Wet. " _Hey_."

"What - "

"Later, just breathe, it's okay. Do you feel safe?"

"Foggy - "

" **Safe** \- focus on that."

He twists his fingers in Foggy's shirt. Soft. Sleeping. "Nightmare?"

"Safe."

Dog. "Stuart - is Stuart okay?"

"If you mean the worst dog ever that has been banished forever to the crate for triggering your PTSD in the middle of breakfast?"

"Breakfast - no - "

"Forget it, just breathe, babe, you're doing fine."

 

  
_**Tattoo** _

"Mm. What are you doing?" Matt asks through his pillow. "Nap."

"You and your naps."

"You like me to sleep," he remembers. "Time?"

"Naptime. Just relax, babe."

"Babe?"

Foggy licks a stripe up his back in one of the few unmarred spaces of skin and then sticks - something sticky - to the spot.

"The _fuck_ , Foggy?" He flinches away but Foggy pins him in place, pressing on his shoulders to keep him on the bed.

"Crackerjacks," Foggy says gleefully. "Got a tattoo just for you - sexy babe."

"Oh my God, get it off - " Matt protests but Foggy knows all his secrets and the tickle war is worse than a spit tattoo - and maybe better than a nap.

 

 

  
_**Hopeful** _

"You and Murdock are really making this shit work, aren't you?" Jessica asks, stacking the last of her boxes in the corner of her office.

"Some days, I would say absolutely. But he's been tweaking in the new place even if he hides it pretty well," Foggy admits. "I don't know what else to do."

She thrums her fingers on the desk. "Cabin fever, probably. He's been tagging Colleen and Misty for patrols since Danny's back in Harlem. I think he's trying to make things nice for you."

He scans her, trying to channel Matt's polygraph skills. "You think?"

She flips him the finger. "Yeah, I do, but he'd never say it outright. There's a reason he let you make all the decisions about a forever home."

"Oh. So I shouldn't be worried?"

"He's a masochistic vigilante with anger issues - you should always be worried."


	4. Chapter 4

  
**_First Love_ **

  
"Thank you for seeing me," Sister Maggie says, fidgeting with her glass of water and reminding of her son-in-law with her unreadable expression and blatant anxiety. "Considering Matthew's unorthodox wedding plans, I missed my chance to meet you before their vows."

Ed glances at her but doesn't wait for permission. "Do you disapprove of same sex marriage?"

"Of course not!"

Anna pats her husband's wrist but they're both relieved. "Sorry, it's been an issue for some of our own family - "

Maggie nods, avoiding their eyes and taking a sip of water. "My relationship with Matthew is...tenuous on a good day. Our faith is our strongest connection and - I didn't want you to get the wrong idea. I'm grateful that Matthew speaks to me at all, and Franklin has only ever been kind and welcoming. I don't know how to be an 'in-law'."

"We've got that part covered, we've been bossing Matty around for years," Ed laughs.

Anna nods. "Matt talks about you a lot, I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Maggie sighs softly. "Foggy misses you and I know Matthew does as well, but I give you my word that I'm doing my best to look after them while you're out of town. Theo has been doing good things with the butcher shop."

"He needs more looking after than Foggy," Anna concedes.

 

  
_**Dream** _

"Oh no, is he making you sleep on the couch? What did you do?" Karen asks, hurrying across the room to the couch.

"No, I exiled myself to protect him from the bronchitis bug from hell," Foggy answers hoarsely, fumbling for his face mask.

She rolls her eyes. "Like Matt doesn't wash his hands all the time already. Is that why he sent me for soup?"

"Ugh, stop with the soup, where's my phone?"

"It's that good soup from Hopkins," Karen says, dangling the bag. "With dumplings and - "

"You had me at dumplings, Matt ordered this?" he asks with grabby hands.

She lets out a dramatic sigh and hands him a spoon. "He's acting like you're dying of consumption, he's pretty close to dressing in black and putting on a veil."

"Aw," Foggy says, touched. "He didn't even wear a veil for our wedding, I'm flattered."

"I need a temperature check and a phone call to the office from you before I share the soup. Seriously, he's moping, Foggy."

"Why didn't he come up himself?"

She rolls her eyes again and waves the thermometer. "You told him to cover for you at work, he's waffling over what makes him a dutiful husband."

 

_**Healing** _

Foggy listens to the clients fuss over Matt and his crutches and clenches his fists under his desk.

"Hey," Karen whispers, leaning in. "You look frayed, do you need to take the dog for a walk?"

"No. You think I should send him home early?" Foggy asks in return and they both look through the open door to him setting up the recorder and adjusting his elevated ankle.

"No? He's fine, Foggy, I can't believe you got him to stay home yesterday," she replies slowly.

Honestly, Foggy can't really believe it either and doesn't want to push his luck - but Matt still looks pale to him, looks tired and sore and -

She grabs his hand. "Hey."

"I'm allowed to worry now that I'm wearing a ring, right? It's natural to worry," Foggy blurts out.

"Of course. But he's fine," Karen says. "He left the door open so you could see."

Foggy takes a breath. "Fine, right."

 

  
_**Country** _

 

"What are you listening to?" Foggy asks when he hears the unfamiliar music from the kitchen.

"I just turned it on," Matt lies, smiling to himself when Foggy makes a beeline for the stereo.

He gasps, betrayed. "Best Country Hits of the 2000's? Matthew Murdock!"

"I have no idea what the display says, I'm a blind guy. Maybe it's on shuffle."

Foggy pokes him in the side. "Liar - is this a mood?"

He leans his head on Foggy's shoulder before pulling back for a kiss. "Total mood."

 

_**Hot** _

Matt slips into bed, sliding his hands underneath Foggy's side until he stirs, turning to accept his kiss in the dark.

"Long night?"

"Mm," Matt replies into his mouth as Foggy pats his damp hair from the shower. "Missed you. This."

"This?" Foggy asks, shifting against his hands. "As in me or - "

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I also love our water pressure and reliable heating," Matt smiles against his cheek.

"I see how it is," Foggy laughs.


	5. Chapter 5

  
_**Enthralled** _

  
"Roof garden," Matt says, opening the door and leading Sister Maggie and the Nelsons up the stairs. His roof had always been the Devil's place but Foggy's determined to make him 'see' things in a new way.

"Oh. It's lovely," Sister Maggie says softly, laying her hand on his arm.

"Tomatoes are easy enough, what's in these other boxes?" Ed asks, already poking around the fresh dirt.

Matt remembers where the bench is and steers his mother to a seat. "Herbs, probably - I don't know what the farmer sold him on. They had live chickens and I was on dog distraction detail. Stuart is not allowed up here until he learns the rules."

"You should be nicer to my only grandchild," Maggie says quietly.

Anna vibrates with laughter. "Are we allowed to use the G-word on the premises now?"

"In the context of pets and while Foggy's not home, it's allowed," Matt sighs.

 

_**Snow** _

  
_"I don't want him running around in this, will you talk to him?"_

Matt flops his arm across the back of the couch to catch Foggy's attention. "Who are you talking to?"

"Nunya."

"I had brunch with Captain Mahoney today," Matt says and waits for Foggy's bare feet to cross the room. "He's aware that I'll be enjoying the gas logs in our bedroom and if I hear anything unusual, maybe you'll text him."

"Oh. Never mind, Jess, call off the yellow alert - " Foggy says.

Matt withdraws his arm back to the warmth of the weighted blanket Theo gave him for Arbor Day. The Nelson love holidays, it's a problem - but not the blanket.

"Sorry," Foggy says, kissing his forehead. "Just - snow."

"Snow is manageable, it's ice that can suck my dick," Matt grumbles.

"Oh, that's the kind of relationship you and ice have, pardon me," Foggy laughs.

 

_**Rainbow** _

Matt and Karen explode with giggles when Foggy comes back with Stuart from his ten-minute walk to the bodega and back.

"Shh, he'll catch us," Karen whispers.

He gasps melodramatically when he finds them shoving handfuls of miniature packets of Skittles into Matt's pockets.

"Traitor," they accuse each other.

"What's all this, guys?" Foggy asks, ducking a candy missile.

"Nobody paid us in candy, why would you say that?" Karen blurts out.

"We would never take payment in processed sweets," Matt agrees but he has chocolate on his fingers when Foggy manages to catch his hand.

"I was gone ten minutes - how - wait, how many did you eat already?" Foggy demands when the crinkle of hidden wrappers follows his husband's movement.

Karen's giggle is not a promising response.

 

_**Romantic** _

  
"Gangsters?"

"Resolved."

"Ninjas?"

"Never heard of 'em."

"Witches?"

"Found Jesus."

Foggy opens his eyes and studies Matt in the fading sunset of the window. "Yeah?"

"Two tickets for the seven fifteen and popcorn's on me - but not the soda because I'm not responsible for bathroom breaks," Matt replies, dangling his phone over Foggy's ankles as if he needs more encouragement to get up.

  
_**Feel** _

  
"I'm going to have to tell Foggy," Sister Maggie says.

"Please. He'll be so disappointed - "

His gut drops at Matt's guilty voice and he steadies himself to face his fate. They've had, what, three good years of only minor near death experiences?

Matt twitches toward him as soon as he steps in and Foggy wants to laugh but all he can do is sigh. "Really? You have crisis voice about - "

Sister Maggie smiles, fond, and passes the box of suspiciously adorable kittens to him. "The children absolutely cannot catch sight of them and he refuses to take them to a shelter."

"Maybe Stuart could do with some siblings?" Matt whispers.

Three good years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 25/50 - woot! Halfway done!


	6. Chapter 6

 

_**Magic** _

  
"Are you okay with us taking two of them?"

Foggy covers Matt's mouth with his hand and glares at Danny. "I can't believe you asked that question. Colleen, please take your boyfriend and your two foster kittens home now so they can settle in."

Matt bites his finger.

"We'll take good care of them, Matt," Colleen says, kissing his cheek while Danny holds up the cat carrier triumphantly.

Foggy leans against Matt's shoulder as their friends trickle out. "Now that's done - "

Matt sniffs. "I can't believe - "

"There's no way you believed I'd let you keep six cats."

"But - "

"Stuart and Mewart are enough, we are not having another Domestic about this."

"I'll show you a Domestic - her name is not - "

 

_**Christmas** _

  
_"My mom's going to kill me - "_

_"Your mom, what about my wife and in-laws - "_

_"Three generations of people are going to kill me, so - "_

Brett leans his head against the cool metal of the bank vault where his skeleton team is spending Christmas dinner thanks to some bank robbers with nothing better to do than ruin the holidays.

There's a sudden sound through the thick walls and he steps back, pulling his gun and silencing everyone. The huge door slides open enough for him to make out shuffling and grunts apart from the muted AC of the vault.

"Captain Mahoney?"

Fuck. He lowers his gun. "Stay back, I got this." The door opens so he can make out Daredevil in his black mask but makes a note of his new thick coat and scarf. "Thank you."

"Please call your mom," Daredevil says, silently jumping over a bound set of robbers and disappearing into the night.

Brett sighs, but at least he'll make it home for dessert. 

  
_**Guilt** _

"Friendship, partnership, wedding vows - all of that still stands true for our whole honesty shit, but I need to lie to you about something."

Foggy pauses. "What?"

"I am keeping some things confidential. About a friend. You're going to have questions and you'll know that I'm lying to you. I don't want you to get mad," Matt says quietly.

"Oh." He considers it. "How dangerous?"

"People are going to get their hearts broken," Matt replies.

"Oh. That kind of secret."

Matt sighs. "I don't want to take sides, but - there will probably be sides."

He wraps his arms around Matt and holds on. "I'll take the heartbreak protocol under advisement."

 

_**Flying** _

"Florida's nice and everything but we overestimated how often our family would visit," Ed says.

Foggy sighs into Matt's shoulder and he pats his arm. "You guys underestimate how bad of a flier I am."

Anna scoffs and he glances at his husband, curious.

"I got the opportunity to fly to DC for a fieldtrip in high school, didn't want to let anybody down but - the moment the air pressure changed, both my eardrums blew out and I couldn't walk a straight line for days - I had to take the train back," Matt says, the words falling easier around his in-laws.

"I never heard that story," Foggy murmurs.

"Because it's an awful story, it's more traumatic than me and swimming," Matt replies. "We'll drive down for one holiday of your choice but - he's flying solo on the rest."

  
_**Innocence** _

  
"You'll let me see her?"

"Of course."

"And you'll take care of Colleen - "

"As much as she'll let me - we were on a break, she - I love her. And I'll love her kid like it's mine - "

Matt looks up when he feels them looking at him. "I've been hired to represent the unborn child and to make sure nobody's bleeding when they leave the office."

"He can stay, it's fine. I'm - willing to do whatever I have to do for this baby," Danny insists.

"Get out. I want to talk to Murdock."

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

 

_**Campfire** _

Danny pokes the fire with one of the sticks Luke had sharpened while the rest of them were bickering over the tents. "Thanks for coming with me, you guys."

"I'm just here to see how long Matt can last before he calls his husband," Luke laughs, passing him the designated bottle of whiskey for the night.

Matt tosses him his deactivated phone. "He's been blowing me up since we hit the state lines - apparently Stuart is now a good dog because my cat brought home three mice last night."

"Aw, yay for Stuart," Danny says, clutching his heart.

"Mice," Jessica snorts. "Give me that phone, I have to warn Nelson that your new kitten's only working up to rats."

"I'm hoping for birds, they're ruining the garden," Matt admits honestly. "But definitely don't tell him that."

"Guys, we can't raise our kittens to be hunters of the night," Danny says.

Matt takes an extra pull off the bottle before he passes it to him. Parenting pets is hard enough and Danny's taking one for the team trying out a real kid this time.

 

_**Sound** _

Foggy snores softly against his chest, Stuart licks - something - in his bed across the room and Kitten purrs from the window sill.

He tunes out the city noise and settles into the symphony of his little family - the hum of happy - but he'll never phrase it like that out loud.

Stuart always seems to know when he's awake and trots over with the jingle of his collar and Matt extends his hand for the sniff and lick for the appropriate status check.

He fails apparently because the dog barks and wakes Foggy with a jolt. "Wait - what?"

"Stuart thinks we're lazy."

 

_**Cold** _

 

"I'd very much like you to stop sending things to my husband," Foggy says, not backing down from Elektra no matter how many times he's watched Matt bury her.

Elektra blinks at him, cool. God, he hates how cool she is. "I'd very much like you to stop sending my gifts back. I'm not trying to, what did your brother say - be a homewrecker. I'm trying to express my gratitude to Matthew in a way that he will understand."

"By sending him priceless artifacts for his cat to knock over?"

She hesitates. "I meant no offense."

"You totally meant offense. You always - "

"I'm sorry."

That wipes his argument away. "Why?"

She turns toward the busy street, acting like they meet for coffee on a regular basis and they're just normal friends. "Because you gave him the life no one said he could have. I thought - maybe - it would be okay if I contribute to the cause."

"The cat will break anything shiny and then Matt will get upset about it - just - stick to postcards or something."

 

  
_**Determined** _

 

"Fucking goddamn bullshit - "

Matt follows the cursing upstairs to the roof where Foggy is crouched by one of the plant boxes. "Need a hand?"

"We have a dog, a cat and a devil that use this roof on a regular basis - but I still have stray rodents eating my berries."

He hesitates. "You had berries?"

"No, the birds and thieves had berries - Foggy had nothing," he replies unhappily.

He rubs circles over Foggy's back until he relaxes. "Want to take a trip to the Farmer's Market on Saturday?"

"Sure," Foggy sighs.

 

_**Storm** _

  
"Thanks for coming - I have no idea how to handle this and Matt's going to flip out - " Foggy says in a rush when Luke and Danny *finally* show up.

"What's wrong? You're the cool one under pressure, so if you're - " Luke starts.

"The cat's missing," Foggy says. A thunderclap from the brewing storm echoes his point. "She's hiding from the thunder but it's been four hours since - "

"Kitten?" Danny asks, eyes wide with understanding.

"I thought her name was Mewart," Luke frowns but Foggy yanks them both inside.

"No, Matt got Karen to use her notary license to change it as her first official stamp," Danny replies, shrugging out of his jacket and holding it out to Foggy. "We'll find her."

Foggy hangs up the jacket and goes to start another pot of coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG only 15 prompts left to finish this crazy table. I don't honestly know if I'm going to make it. There's not really a story here, I've realized, only snapshots from a fluffy valium dream or something.
> 
> Thanks to everyone that's clicked a kudo or commented this far - ♥.


	8. Chapter 8

 

_**New Year** _

"I really wasn't planning on ringing in the new year in a hospital waiting room," Foggy sighs. Jessica glares at him.

"You and Matt have been honeymooning for years, asshole, I'm so sorry you have to spend a holiday away of your sitcom life," she mutters.

Luke yawns. "Plus, it's not like we're here for a bad reason - somebody's going to come out of there with a new kid."

"New, yuck, that means it'll be ugly and gross for days and we'll still have to coo over it," Jessica says. "Bio-dad still a no-show?"

Foggy blinks exhaustion out of his eyes. "You know who it is?"

"Nah, but Danny's been looking over his shoulder for a few days," Jessica admits.

"Matt hasn't told me and he gives me this 'judging you' look when I try and trick it out of him," Foggy says.

"It's none of our business," Luke reminds them.

Foggy sinks back into the seat. "Don't see why she needs my husband in there for all of it when she's got her own."

"Because everyone trusts your husband with a baby more than her husband," Luke chuckles.

 

_**Solstice** _

  
Foggy realizes after Colleen gives birth that Matt's 'contract' with the Defenders has been extended for eighteen years.

He's taken for granted their soft little corner of Hell's' Kitchen - Matt's early nights home and blanket honesty about his night activities.

Now, Matt's lucky to get home before three in the morning - shaving's for weekends - and Jessica walks their dog when Foggy's stuck in court and Karen's stuck in class.

They're adults now and it sucks. He has to share his husband with friends and it sucks. They're out of milk and it sucks.

"Fog?"

He hides the empty tub of ice cream under a pillow as a treat for Stuart later and climbs off the couch. "Hey."

He gets a 'busy now' cheek kiss and sighs until he sees that Matt's putting down groceries. "Shopping?"

"Cops finally got around to breaking up that human trafficking ring we've been chasing for the past few weeks so Danny's finally going to be putting in his full time with the wife and kid," Matt says. "Had some time on my hands so Misty drove me to that new organic place."

"Oh."

Matt hesitates. "Is it an ice cream kind of day? Did I miss something?"

"I missed you, that's all."

 

_**Belief** _

He watches Matt and Maggie banter at the dessert table while Danny tries to keep the baby from Foggy's mother's constant vigilance by cowering with Theo at the window.

Mother's Day at Foggy's place is not a repeatable event but he thinks they're making it work for the moment.

Theo has to get the plumbing fixed at his place because a family lunch they can do but he is not crashing on their couch without putting down a deposit.

"It's not that bad, you've got the space and what passes for your roof garden will survive the nephews and nieces," his father says, clapping him on the back. "Don't act like you're not fuming."

"Thank you for getting a hotel instead of making me clean out the guest room," Foggy grumbles.

 

_**City** _

  
  
"It's four a.m., what are you even doing?" Foggy calls from the other room.

He can't help it - someone's getting robbed three blocks away and he knows all the cops are still caught up in that truck accident on the bridge. "I'll be right back!"

"I don't care! The city never sleeps, Matthew, but people totally have to!"

"Right back - swear - love you, Babe!"

"Don't babe me - Asshole - "

   
 _ **Warm**_

  
Matt sniffs again, shooing Kitten off the dresser to continue his search for the candy he can scent somewhere in the bedroom.

"You're off your game," Foggy giggles. "Cold. Colder."

Matt grumbles silently and drifts to the closet.

"Warm."

"You're not cute," he lies, skipping the shoe rack and drawers for socks.

"Warmer."

Ties? T-shirts?

"Cool. Cold."

"I think I hate you."

"I'm not the one with a Skittles problem."

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

  

_**Rain** _

 

"Matt. Wake up. Matt!"

He fumbles upright, not awake at all and tries to find Foggy in the room. "What, is there - "

"Do I need an umbrella?"

"What?" Doesn't he have a weather app on his phone - or the actual news?

"Your magic nose is always right - come on, babe, I opened the window, just give me a sniff."

He puts Foggy's pillow over his head and tries to ignore the morning.

 

_**Wind** _

  
"He's always been great with babies," Anna says to Maggie when she catches her watching Matthew and the newest ninja child across the room.

Maggie likes the Nelsons well enough but she can never really tell if they're being kind or passive aggressive when they flaunt their history with Matthew.

"He uses them to hide from all the questions, I think," she continues. "He always found a corner and settled in with the closest small child or animal - drove Foggy nuts. As comparison, Foggy needs all the attention on him."

She considers the confession. "Maybe that's why they're not in a hurry to give you grandchildren - Franklin might not like losing the center of attention status in his own home."

Anna gasps, scandalized. "We don't say such things out loud, Maggie."

 

_**Scared** _

  
Foggy cuddles closer to Matt under the covers, wrapping his arm around his bare middle to pull him close.

"Why spoon?" Matt mumbles.

"Do I need a reason to spoon my husband?"

Matt doesn't answer immediately. "Yes?"

"Go back to sleep," Foggy soothes, kissing the back of his neck.

"Kay. But spoon?"

He hates how well Matt knows him sometimes - even spouses should be allowed minor secrets. "Watched the wrong movies. Need to renegotiate the train suggestion for Florida."

"Trains mean spoon?"

"Zombies," Foggy confesses.

Matt hums and settles, snuggling back against Foggy's arms. "That makes sense."

 

_**Weeks** _

  
"Holy shit," Foggy says when he sits down to do the monthly bills. He's glad Matt's not home - because - holy shit. He dials Karen while he pulls up his Amazon account in a different tab.

_"I'm seriously in the next office, Foggy, are you too lazy to yell for me?"_

"Nope, I just want you to be at your desk - check our bank statement."

_"Holy shit."_

"Right? The Quaids finally got around to paying out the settlement."

_"Oh my God."_

"Right?"

_"Right. What are we going to do?"_

"I'm taking the rest of the day off and buying new toys for Stuart and Kitten - and all the top shelf liquor for my babe."

" _Then I'm taking the rest of the day off for shoe shopping and purchasing my Amazon wishlist_."

Foggy smiles and swiftly switches his screen to browse his second favorite partner's wishlist. 

 

_**Vengeance** _

  
"Matthew?"

He winces at Foggy's drop of his full name. He must be in trouble. "Yes, dear?"

"Why is my ice cream different?"

Should he play the blind card? "Uh, not sure, does it taste different?"

"Two words. Gluten-free."

"Ice cream has gluten?"

Foggy makes a low sound in his throat. He should have totally played the blind card.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I compare this 'fic' to exercise, picture my muse gasping for air and flailing for the water bottle only to find out it's filled with sand. Foggy is probably sad to see this end because I'm totes going to be mean to him for taking up my muses' attention when they could be working on something else.
> 
> Thanks so much for hanging in there with me, guys! - One more set to go! 45 prompts down!
> 
>  
> 
> _*I finally got around to watching Train to Busan. I have a lot of feels._


	10. Chapter 10

  
_**Nightmare** _

  
"I'm not a bloodhound, you can't just call me every time you lose something," Matt says, his voice reaching them before he steps into the crowded office.

Foggy lets go of Colleen's hand so she can rush Matt and take the toddler that's been missing for hours from his arms.

"Mama!"

Foggy scans Matt for injuries and spots blood on his collar and scuff marks on his suit - his Tuesday suit, Foggy's favorite. "You all right?"

Ward and Danny step in, accepting their smacks and hugs before Matt makes his way to his side and takes his hand. "All right now."

"Bloodhound?"

"Bad guys took Ward, the kid was hiding like her mama taught her," Matt whispers back.

 

_**Sight** _

  
"Don't you get tired of being married to a blind guy? I mean, don't you ever want a normal life?"

Foggy barely restrains himself from laughing in his newest aunt's face. "Sorry, just, he lived on his own for years before we got married - he takes care of me much more than I have to do for him."

She looks at him, doubtful.

"You're new, you'll figure it out. If you're still around for the next Nelson family holiday, maybe you'll have a better understanding." Uncle Vince usually keeps his wives a couple of years before trading them in.

 

_**Taste** _

 

"I trusted you," Matt accuses, betrayal dark on his face.

"Matt - listen - "

"I can't believe you'd do this to me."

"It's been three days and - "

"Is this because of the ice cream? That wasn't my fault, you know I have people that help me shop."

Foggy reaches for his hands but Matt yanks them away. "You didn't even know it was decaf, Matty, and the doctor said - "

"I trusted you. Never again - I'll be making all the coffee around here from now on."

 

_**Touch** _

 

Foggy lunges and manages to catch Matt before his fingers make contact. "Don't touch that."

"What, why?"

"Because I said so. It's very important that you don't touch it," Foggy insists. Jessica slips past him from behind and leans over the counter.

"Hubby's right, you shouldn't touch it," Jessica agrees as she moves her hand.

"Don't you dare, Jessica Jones - I will shave both your cats - " Foggy threatens.

"You can't use the children against her," Matt scolds him. "And why can't I touch - "

"It's poison," Foggy lies, dropping Matt's wrist to go for Jessica's. He's too busy defending the pie - the best pie - to spot the hidden threat perched on Matt's shoulder. Kitten's paw swipes a scoop of the meringue with ninja perfection and Foggy gives up the fight.

"Meow," the cat scolds him.

"It was the best pie," Foggy sighs.

 

_**Animal** _

 

"You have turned Matthew into a spoiled housecat," Elektra frowns but there's no venom in her tone. They're too old to waste time trying to save or kill each other.

"Her name's Kitten," Foggy says blankly.

"You miss my point, as usual. I assumed you caged the beast inside, but you only tamed it. Treats, kindness, frequent walks and playtime - " Elektra starts.

He considers spritzing her in the face with the water bottle of shame but doesn't think that will get them anywhere new.

"It does bring up a pressing question, however. You've raised a dog, a garden and now a cat together - when are you planning - "

He reaches for the water bottle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot! 50 prompts! High-five!


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